Greetings!
The day of Pentecost became the Holy Spirit’s New Covenant designation day!
Shavuot (Hebrew) and Pentecost (Greek), is the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. It is known as the ceremony of First-Fruits, the Day of Harvest (particularly wheat), and the anniversary of the day when God delivered the Torah to the nation of Israel. Shavuot immediately follows the Passover.
Shavuot is used of the counting of days
and weeks to express the anticipation and passion of God’s gift of the Torah – Hebrew meaning,
five
= first five books of the Old Testament. By orthodox Hebrew standard, the
Books of Law
.
In ancient times, the wheat harvest was contextually connected to God’s people, particularly God harvesting them out of the bondage of Egypt. Since those early days, Shavuot is known for the great act of God removing His people directly after the Passover. Orthodox Jews believe God demonstrated the first act of harvesting HIS first-fruit in, and through delivering His people. To this day, Shavuot is a celebration of gladness, literally celebrating the Hebrews being God’s first-fruit.
Special note:
The harvesting of barley (the lesser grain) was done during Passover, while the harvest of wheat (primary grain) was after Passover. Another important historical note. Ancient Hebrews claimed that sudden blossoms of flowers and greenery appeared on the summit of Mount Sini shortly before the Torah (Law) was delivered to the Hebrew people. To this day, Orthodox Jews place greenery at the front of the synagogue on Shavuot.
Shavuot ends on the last hour of the sixth day. This celebration of First-Fruit was not to intrude upon the Sabbath, the day of rest. Ultimately, this celebration was to acknowledge the Hebrew people conducting the earthly harvest, while cementing the ideology of God laboring to harvest (rapture) His eternal first-fruit – the Hebrew children of God.
The Greek Christian celebration
of Pentecost was to commemorated fifty days after the resurrection of Christ, the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and other followers of Jesus. The fifty days encompasses Jesus's 40 days on earth after His resurrection and ten days between the ascension and Shavuot. Keep in mind that Shavuot took place on a Friday, the day before the Sabbath, which means Jesus ascended on Shlishi (Tuesday). Shlishi means, the third – clearly depicting the third & final person of the Triune of God.
I am about to connect the dots.
The fact that all the disciples were gathered in one place, in Jerusalem I might add, on the first hour of Shavuot was NO accident.
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.”
(Acts 2:1)
In respects to the Hebrew orthodoxy beliefs, it remained critical that God would honor His ceremonial markers used to speak to His people from the ancient ages. It is also significant that His people, as lost as they were, understood by tradition that this hour was to celebrate the first-fruit. Since they clearly understood the celebration of their work in harvesting the wheat AND that their God harvested His people out of the land of Pharaoh – the perfect backdrop for the Holy Spirit to ignite the Lord’s great New Covenant harvest became imminent.
Since Shavuot began at 6-pm, the Holy Spirit demonstrated the same kind of power/miracle the Father unfolded in setting His people free from the Egyptians.
“And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.”
(Acts 2:2)
The Hebrew people were NOT strangers to seeing the power of God. The Father used this method of revealing Himself throughout the Old Testament. The act of filling the house with power is what got their attention. On the other hand, the next demonstration of the Holy Spirit was foreign to them. A new method of communicating opened up.
“And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.”
(Acts 2:3)
We have to sit back and appreciate this moment. Consider the average Jew celebrating their anticipated Shavuot, and they begin to see languages as of fire on the heads of these disciples who were known for being with this Jesus. Not only that, they observe with their own eyes this "fire" going from external to internal – possessing them.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”
(Acts 2:4)
This moment is the most remarkable act of the New Covenant – the Holy Spirit moves from “upon” to “filling.” Historical note: God’s act of separating the people at the Tower of Babel by way of giving each different tongues (languages) is now being brought together to the “tower of strength” (Psalm 61:3). Secondly, not one of the guests that night, including the disciples, had witnessed a miracle such as this.
“Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.”
(Acts 2:5)
I am trusting that you read that correctly,
every nation under heaven.
God supernaturally motivated a leader from every nation to be present, well in advance, to witness the miraculous act of the Holy Spirit, moving from external to internal. Each guest was privileged with witnessing the birth of the New Covenant – the doctrines of moving a Christ-follower to that of being an indwelt Christian. Please keep in mind that the depravity of man adheres to “seeing is believing.”
Signs and wonders are for the weak
, and every person in attendance was weak. But…not for long.
"And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?”
(Acts 2:8)
Wake up men
of Galatia, Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamian, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Cyrene, Rome, Jews, Proselytes, Cretans, and Arabs. The Living God is about to speak.
Even though some guests thought the disciples were drunk with wine, Peter becomes filled with a message from the throne of God. Reader, this is the first historically recorded sermon delivered by the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ, which was to become the standard method of preaching until the last hour of the New Testament. You need to stop and think about that.
Please study this passage, but here is the basic outline of this Holy sermon.
(Acts 2:14-41)
- Peter moved to stand with the eleven first-generation Church leaders – publicly demonstrating his unity with ALL the disciples.
- He raised his voice.
- With a proper address, he mandates them to heed (obey) to his words, remembering his words are now Christ speaking through him.
- He removes doubt – these men are not drunk.
- Peter connects the Old Testament prophecy predicting the hour they are witnessing, what happened throughout Jesus's journey and what they can do about it in the present moment (Joel 2:28-32). Not forgetting, all those present recently observed the sky turning dark like blood, lighting flashing (fire) and smoke filling the air shortly after Jesus took his final breath. It was this act of God that gained the attention of every human alive, which is most likely what God used to get the attention of the invited guests from all nations.
- He brings it closer to home – Jesus the Nazarene. He walks them through the pathway of Jesus, what He said, what He did, and what He has to offer them. Peter connects each to the moment.
- He connects David's prophetic utterance to the present hour (Psalm 16). He then reminds them that David's decomposed body is still with them while noting that the body of Jesus was raised – to which we are all witnesses.
- Peter hits on the power of resurrection. He reveals God’s promise of the Holy Spirit coming and pouring forth – which you both see and hear.
- He cements the doctrines of Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father.
- Now the big insult. Peter fronts them with the fact and reality of - let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.
- All who intently listened to Christ through Peter were – pierced to the heart. All those who were listening were left with a question - what shall we do?
The results of this profound Spirit-empowered sermon demanded an action that would change the face of humanity.
“Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 2:38)
The ceremony of Shavuot was never the same. It became such a miraculous transition, while many orthodoxy Jews left as stubborn as they came, the newly converted renamed this Holy day, Pentecost.*
*In our next article, the prophetic fulfillment of Shavuot to Pentecost.
